A really great action picture has a choreographic finesse that lends it some grace and assurance rivaled only by musicals. It comes as no surprise that stunt coordinator Chad Stahelski helmed both the original John Wick picture in 2014 and its latest sequel - John Wick 2; these are films that comprehend the visual power of bodies in motion on a molecular level. While not precisely a ballet, one might argue that the pleasures afforded by action films of this caliber originate less from plots than from the thrill of witnessing grace-in-motion, albeit with AK-47s instead of tutus.

In terms of plot, the John Wick flicks purposely tread lightly. The first John Wick movie is a conventional retribution story in which the protagonist, a former assassin, avenges the death of his beloved dog Daisy.

What John Wick 2 lacks is comparable eloquence, but it successfully makes up for that lack with audacity: this time around, the main character, John Wick, is the target of a $7 million contract, causing a slew of former coworkers to pursue him in order to collect their money.

Year of Release: 2017

Stars: Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 89%

The Perks of Being A Wallflower is another one of those movies that, if watched at the appropriate moment in one's life, becomes a treasured friend. The narrative - recounted via letters written by the narrator, Charlie, to an anonymous friend - follows typical contours: the introverted teen starting high school who first struggles to fit in until discovering his own groups of friends. In this instance, this group is composed of a bunch of seniors who undoubtedly once felt alone like he does, but now have accepted their position as punks, outcasts, and outsiders.

The Perks of Being A Wallflower is a classic coming-of-age movie. Still, it distinguishes itself with a matter-of-fact attitude to the most distressing parts of adolescence, such as melancholy, homophobia, suicide, and domestic violence, without being maudlin or preachy. Director Chbosky offers Charlie a disarming sincerity that wins over not only the seniors who befriend him throughout his first year, but also the audience as well.

Year of Release: 2012

Stars: Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, Ezra Miller

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 85%

"Nobody" is chock-full of surprises - just like the competent Christopher Lloyd - and has repeated sight gags, comparable absurd timing of information dump expositions. "Nobody" derives its core strength from a conventional family system, even if it means keeping people in the shadows if it keeps them secure... which never lasts for long.

It's unfortunate that the startup could not encounter any antagonists other than the Russian money-movers that took things too personally; you'd think that at least one of them could have likened Hutch to "Baba Yaga" and keep themselves from a lot of trouble, but where's the fun in that?

Like many contemporary Hollywood productions, the roots of several sequels are sown. "Nobody" has an intrinsic edge over John Wick franchises since the relatives are not obligated to each other - and hence, much less likely to spontaneously betray each other. Eventually, there might be a sequel, but when can fans expect to see Nobody versus John Wick (or John Wick versus Nobody)?

Year of Release: 2021

Stars: Bob Odenkirk, Connie Nielsen, Alexey Serebryakov

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 84%

Birds of Prey, the Suicide Squad sequel film starring Margot Robbie's deranged antiheroine, does not include a significant amount of action. However, this does not imply that the film is devoid of content. There are several action scenes, repeated jokes, and clothes that seem as if someone vomited glitter and the Forever 21 catalog.

Birds of Prey delivers an unusually straightforward tale for a contemporary comic book film, despite all its bravado. Harley Quinn ends her relationship with the Joker; the villains attempt to capture her; and she forms an alliance with a group of female women who are also sought by the same villains. Everyone celebrates after defeating the villains. That's the whole plot!

Yet, these simple plotlines really contribute to Bird of Prey's appeal. The film, which was helmed by Cathy Yan, is not attempting to make a major message or provide unexpected turns of events. These females just want enjoyment, and they have it! We could say Birds of Prey might be reminiscent of a fruity drink. It goes down easily, making you feel euphoric, and there is a small risk of a little hangover.

Year of Release: 2020

Stars: Margot Robbie, Mary Elizabeth

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 79

The subject matter of Greyhound, adapted by Tom Hanks from the classic book The Good Shepherd, should not come as a surprise. As the director of the series The Pacific and Band of Brothers, the two-time Oscar-winning actor has investigated more World War II narratives.

To direct the film, he enumerates Aaron Schneider (from Get Low) to create a war movie consisting of battles with unsettling editing. Greyhound is an engrossing character study, despite the fact that the screenplay is too sparse to include any further bangs. Commander Krause is a classic Hanks' character. He outrageously challenges almost overwhelming obstacles with humility, exemplifying the aspirational values Americans aspire to achieve.

Krause, a career naval commander, is in his very first command during a war. He is religious, refusing food before reciting a silent prayer, and he often hesitates while making decisions owing to his lack of confidence. And even though he is the highest-ranked officer, the troops below him have better fighting experience, as seen by the confused responses to some of his directives.

Year of Release: 2020

Star: Tom Hanks, Stephen Graham, Elisabeth Shue

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 78%

Unlike many of his former and current co-stars, Davidson is actually not a virtuosic comedy actor; he may not even be an actor in the traditional sense. Beyond his undoubtedly unique physical look — the clumsy, lumbering nonverbal cues, the gazing eyes, and the almost caricature-like smile — what is his purpose? Why is he even present?

The assumption behind Judd Apatow's The King of Staten Island would be that viewers would grow to admire Davidson for his humility - the lost-little-boy aura that has been the key to Apatow trademarks ever since his breakthrough triumph directing Steve Carell in The Forty-Year-Old Virgin. The film, written by Apatow, Davidson, and fellow comedian Dave Sirius, includes pieces of Davidson's real-life tales, as if to indicate what would have happened to him if he hadn't been so fortunate.

While the themes may seem familiar, this is a far cry from the upmarket showbiz environment in which Apatow is most comfortable, and hence, The King of Staten Island seems to be much more subdued than his prior works (the designated category of the movie is "comedy-drama", after all).

Year of Release: 2020

Stars: Peter Davidson, Marisa Tomei, Bill Burr

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 75%

The introduction of the famous DC character, "Joker", commenced in the first tale of the comic "Batman No. 1", which was released in 1940. This introduction has successfully established the image of the demonic clown. You might even argue that he has become the smiling face of coulrophobia, the dread of clowns.

And the movie "Joker" - unlike prior zeitgeist blockbusters - or every other film in 2019's ten highest-grossing pictures, belongs to a long-running series. The other nine highest-grossing films are either animations or CGI productions, a trend that started in the early twenty-first century with the success of Spider-Man and Shrek, the Transformers sagas, The Toy Stories, as well as the revival of the Star Wars saga.

While some audience voiced the common concern that "Joker" might incite copycat violence, the researcher Adrian Raine thought the film is "quite true in its portrayal of the anti-illness hero, and the way he was slowly led to reactive aggression.'' In other words, the film may foster empathy rather than chaos. With realistic plotlines and amazing acting from Joaquin Phoenix, "Joker" is one of the best underdog movies of all time.

Year of Release: 2019

Stars: Joaquin Phoenix, Robert de Niro, Zazie Beetz

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 68%

Since its inception a decade ago, the Ip Man series (including the latest expansion Master Z: The Ip Man Legacy) constantly fluctuated between action-packed battle scenes and dull plots. Granted, the storyline of these movies, like that of musicals, seems to be a purposefully flimsy clothes line around which the director can hang the funniest events; nobody expects to discover significant drama interspersed between the flurry of kicks and punches.

But the major writer Edmond Wong - who has worked on every edition of Ip man - specializes in tediously complex writing, often including many stories and antagonists that never intersect in a fulfilling manner (unlike Ip's fists and the bad guys' torsos).

It is thus highly ironic that the Ip Man 4: The Finale concludes the parent franchise with a film that is somewhat mediocre in terms of kung fu but extremely effective in filling time between set plays. The highs are lower, while the lows are higher. Everything is palatable. Coupled with its critical success, Ip Man 4: The Finale is one of the best underdog movies of all time.

Year of Release: 2019

Stars: Donnie Yen, Scott Adkins

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 85%